Method of making reflectors



- Oct. 14, 1941.

G. ARRAS METHOD OF MAKINGREFLECTORS Filed March 7, 193a Patented Oct. 14, 1941 'r re veri iee Merrie]; oFMnKme-mrmcrons d GeorgcA'rras, Clii'cagm'lllf p v ApplicationMa-rch 7, 1938;, summer-194cm screens; (01. rife-lie):

. An: object of: the invention is in the provision of: a: method of making a reflector having; andistorted portion made from a refle'ctorof regular shape, without distorting. a:. portion.- thereof;

A iurth'er object of the inventionzis' inzthe provision of. amethod of making. a fioodz-light' re:- flector with a distorted rim: for: directing: light therefrom to' cover a. certain area byutilizing: a reflector of regularshape having: axspherica-lifixedi surface with a flanged: ring, connecting aflaring: rimi thereto so. that when the" rim is distorted the. ring: will; assume a. corresponding angular set which: prevents distort-ionv of thesphericallsupporting-portion;

. Other and further objects of therinventioniwilla appear hereinafter,, the; accompanying: drawing illustrating a shade-or reflector and themethod of: making, it; in. accordance'with the? invention;v In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. l-isasection, and

Fig. 2: is a v View of the inside ofa. (ll 17611131116:- fiector; p

Fig. 3:- isan inside view ofareflector when dis torted for flood-light or other: purposes;-

Fig. 4 is a vertical section and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the" reflector shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6: is: a fragmentary section; of dies for forming the distorted-reflector Fig.v 7 isasection taken on the line 'l of: Fig. 6}. and v Fig. 3 showsa reflector of this: kind: as; sup-- portedlby a-post.= p

In: making reflectors-for special purposes, such.

is. formedwith ar'curved; preferably spherical; .attachmenti'portion which'a'is: fixed in. shape and: curvature: having: aflamged ring extending: therefrom. with: an. outwardly"v flaring rim forming ax continuation of theflangez This regularly'sh'aped'a reflector" formedi in. the? desired shape'by. bend ing'; deflecting: or distorting: the: rim: portions; preferably'in male andifemale diesprovided for: that purpose, the; bending operationa causing' a. correspondingdi'stortion or settbi bezimpartedito:

the: connecting: flange: ring; bending ii; more:- or

lesswithi respect to: its: first. or: ori'ginalz positiorr and: thereby preventing any 'bendingior; distortion: from being imparted to thezcentraloit supporting portion of the reflector. I

Referring. now more particularly. to. the. drawing; a. so -calledi regular: and: continuous. circular reflector i'sshovm in Figs; 1 and: havingacircular curved central portion. [.0 preferably spheri'-- :ca'li in] curvature and embracing something less. than asemisphere; Eirten'd'ihg'continuously from: the: outer edgeof: the central-1 portion. is. a: flanged ring I l' and extending continuously fromthering':

isalflaringriml l2 withlbeading: ml at. the. outer edg cithereot. Reflectors of thlSaklnd are made:

of a singleipiecelof" flat material, being: shaped. by a;mold or preferably byspinningwhich i'm:- parts the" desired.- size,. shape and: angular reia'-- tionsstlrereto;

- order tor-modify or ali'l'ertlie shape of the re-- flector; (pressure may; be. applied to: opposite sides. of the-rimvas- M; and l5; l6.- and': 1-1,, in:Fig.-.3-, to produce-L a. rounded! rectangular. form as showm This? may, be" accomplishedi by means of. male and:

as flood-lightreflectorsfor. concentrating or par-a female dies 18 and: l9= between which: the circuticularly directing, illumination. from alarm in. a. certain direction or to cover: a certain area, it, is desi'rableto modify the ordinary roundlfiaring reflector. or shade and to bend: or distort a pore; tion thereof, particularly the flaring rim, in certtain oi the dimensions. Such bending or distortion is liable to deform the central or supporting portion of the reflector and thereby to make it practically impossible to apply a supporting and lamp holding neck thereto because of the unevenness or such distortion. A further objection to the distortion of a circular reflector, or other reflector of regular shape, is that unless provision is made for holding the rim or other portions in the desired shape, they will tend to buckle and bend, particularly when used in the open air and subject to the ordinary weather conditions.

The present invention overcomes these objections by providing a reflector of regular shape,

lar blanlcisplacedand. then.- the: dies moved together: to: deflect the sides under pressurev toform' them: into the. desired shape. Inshaping or: deforming; the: flange of the circular reflector to":

produceithe desired: newshapez the flanged ringflected to a great flaring inclination, and. the

flanged sections 2| being bent inwardly when the rim sections l4 and i5 are compressed inwardly so that they are flared to a less degree. In other words the portions of the flange II are deflected or distorted in accordance with the shaping or distortion of the rim sections to which they relate.

The distorted flange ring portions thereby acquire a permanent inclination or set which is not communicated to the permanently curved cenpreferably circular, in which the central portion tral portion I'D of the reflector and a supporting and lamp holding shell or collar 22 may therefore be attached to the curved or spherical portion ID at any portion thereof and at any angle thereto without danger that it will not fit properly or cannot be properly attached to the spherical portion by reason of any distortion thereof.

In order that the flanged ring portions may receive their proper inclination or set without improper restriction thereof, the forms l8 and I9 are provided with corresponding recesses 24 and. 25 which permit the flange portions 2| and 20 to be deflected freely within the male and female dies when pressure is applied for shaping or dis- 4. The method of forming reflectors and shades from a sheet metal spinning which consists of a permanent spherical portion at the center with a narrow ring and a rim flaring uniformly therefrom, in pressing opposite portions of the rim inwardly to distort the ring by bending it at its junctures with the spherical portion and the rim without distorting the curvature of the spherical portion.

5. The method of making shades and reflectors from sheet metal spinnings which comprise a center with a permanently curved spherical portion having a continuous rim flaring outwardtorting the flaring rim thereof. In other words the portions of the dies which are adja cent the l ring ll while it is being formed are spaced from: actual contact with the flange ring so that it is free to bend and acquire a set in'opposite direcly therefrom and connected to the central portion by a ring extending at an angle to both the central and rim portions, which consists in distorting the rim by pressing adjacent sections thereof in opposite directions to bend the corretions from its normal or central portion, de-- pending upon the direction of bending the rim portion corresponding thereto. Thus the permanent set or inclination is given to the ring which prevents distortion of the central spherical portion. After the reflector receives its permanent set or formation it is fitted With a holding and lamp supporting sleeve or shell 22 at any desired angle or inclination thereto, the surfaces of the reflector are painted, coated with enameling material, and are then dried or fired in a well known manner. only by way of example as various shapes, inclinations and distortions may be provided, depending upon the use for which the reflector is designed and intended.

I claim:

1. The method of making shades and reflectors which consists in forming a metal sheet with a central permanently rounded portion having a, connected flat ring and an outwardly flaring rim,

site sides inwardly and the opposite portions be-' tween the first named sides outwardly, in distorting the connecting ring by bending adjacent portions thereof in opposite directions from their central or original position and in protecting the permanently curved central portion so that it is unaffected by the distortion of the ring.

3. The method of making a reflector from sheet metal which consists in forming the center with a permanently spherical portion having a ring extending therefrom and a rim extending as a continuation of the ring and flaring outwardly therefrom, in bending adjacent portions of the rim in opposite directions, and. in distorting the ring accordingly without affecting the said spherical portion.

The shape or distortion as shown is sponding ring sections in opposite directions from their original flaring positions without deflecting the central curved portion, and in holding the rim to its distorted shape as the ring sections are bent.

6. The method of making distorted shades and reflectors which consists in first forming them in regular circular form having a permanently curved center, a flaring rim, and a connecting ring portion, in then distorting the rim by pressing portions thereof inwardly and other portions outwardly to the desired shape, and in inclining theconnecting ring so that it is distorted but leaving the centrally curved portion unaffected.

7. The method of making distorted reflectors from circular ones which consists in spinning a metal sheet to form a permanently curved central portion having a flanged ring extending therefrom and a flaring circular rim as an extension of the ring, in placing the spinning thus formed in a shaper which presses some portions of the rim inwardly and some portions of the rim outwardly from their original flaring inclination, and at the same time in bending the connecting ring portion to distort it without distorting the centrally curved portion.

8. The method of making a reflector from a circular sheet metal spinning, having a central permanently set curved portion, a ring extending therefrom, and an outwardly flaring rim forming an extension of the ring, which comprises applying this spinning to a former for engaging the inside and outside of the centrally curved portion and the rim thereof for distorting the latter to any desired shape but leaving the ring free from engagement by the mold parts so that it is free to bend 'in accordance with the bending of the ring portion adjacent thereto, in imparting permanent set to the ring, and in holding the rim as deflected by the mold parts without distorting the centrally curved portion of the spinnmg.

GEORGE AREAS. 

